woah! summer is flying by. even though it hasn't technically started yet, i feel like june went by in the blink of an eye. it has been a little quiet over on the blog this month, as i have been busy promoting the cookbook. local book signings, cooking demos, interviews & so on! what an amazing adventure it has been, i hope it never ends.
i made these pop tarts a few weeks ago when i first spotted rhubarb at the farmer's market & let me tell you, they are GOOD. rhubarb season is (too) short & already coming to an end, so we must make the most of it! the filling of these pop tarts is just fresh rhubarb, roasted to perfection. the pink frosting gets its hue naturally from the leftover rhubarb juices. these are as pretty in pink as it gets! the pastry is extra flakey (hello butter) made with bob's red mill's all purpose flour & sprinkled with bob's red mill's sparkling sugar. the best sugar to top baked goods with! even though these are basically hand pies with glaze, pop tarts are for breakfast.. so these can totally be a breakfast pastry too. i won't tell!
p.s. if you are looking for a dessert to bring to the upcoming long weekend's, canada day + fourth of july celebrations, look no further. just make a double batch, as they won't last long!
xo
ingredients
for the dough
- 2 cups bob’s red mill’s all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 pinch fine salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold & cubed
- 1/2 cup ice water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
for the filling
- 10 sticks of rhubarb, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
for the glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons rhubarb juice (see note)
- bob’s red mill’s sparkling sugar, for sprinkling
directions
for the dough
- in a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar & salt.
- add the cubed butter & work into the dough using your hands until a pea sized crumb mixture is formed.
- add the ice water & vanilla extract. continue to work in with your hands until the dough comes together. turn out onto a floured surface and shape dough into a disk.
- wrap dough in cling wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
for the filling
- preheat oven to 350 degrees. line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- in a large mixing bowl toss together rhubarb, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice & vanilla extract. transfer to prepared baking sheet.
- roast for 15-20 minutes, until rhubarb begins to soften & release juices. set aside until ready to use.
for the glaze
- in a small mixing bowl whisk together the sugar & rhubarb juice until smooth.
- if mixture appears thick, add more rhubarb juice. if mixture appears thin, add more powdered sugar. set aside until ready to use.
for assembly
- preheat oven to 375 degrees. line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- on a floured surface roll out dough to 1/8th inch thick. cut into 16 evenly sized rectangles, approximately 4 inches x 2 inches.
- add a tablespoon of rhubarb filling to the center & brush the edges with egg wash.
- top with a second piece of dough. using a fork, press down the edges to seal.
- brush the top with additional egg wash & place on prepared baking sheet. repeat this step until no more dough remains.
- bake for 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
- drizzle with glaze & top with sprinkles. let cool slightly before serving.
note: for the rhubarb juice, reserve 2-3 tablespoons of the liquid from the roasted pan to obtain a perfectly natural pink glaze.
